Changes in the male body start between the age of 12 and 14 years. Different boys react differently to the changes, and the changes happen at different times to all of us. We also do not change in the same way. This is reflective of our uniqueness, and since all of us are different there can really be no "standard" to compare ourselves to.
Understanding your body and how it works
The penis has two main parts, a head (tip or glans) and a shaft. The head of the penis, particularly its rim is much more sensitive than the shaft. The penis is used for two things, urinating and penetrative intercourse. Usually penises are not straight, some tilt to the left and others to the right. There is no need to worry about it’s
angle or tilt, all of us feel uncomfortable or insecure about how the penis is shaped and how it looks. To reproduce, the male penis must be inserted into the woman’s vagina where sperm (Testicles) are released, which will eventually meet and fertilize the egg.
The penis is covered with fine loose skin. The skin that surrounds the head of the penis is loose and is called the foreskin. The foreskin usually does not fully retract for several years and should never be forced. The foreskin can be retracted when its inside surface separated from the glans and the opening widens. This usually happens by age 18. Once a boy discovers that his foreskin is retractable, he can easily learn to care for himself. When the Foreskin is fully retractable, it is important to wash underneath it everyday, so as to prevent SMEGMA (a white waxy substance consisting of natural secretions and shed skin cells) from forming. Good general hygiene and commion sense are key to preventing infection and disease. The complete removal of the foreskin is called circumcision, which is a minor surgical procedure and does not change the normal functioning of a penis. About half the men in the world today are circumcised, most of them for religious or cultural reasons.
Men have two testicles, which hang in a sack called the scrotum. The testicles produce tadpole-shaped sperm, which join with a woman’s eggs to make babies. Sperms are contained in a fluid called semen. The scrotum hangs outside the body because sperm need to be kept cooler than your internal body temperature, to prevent them from getting damaged. The scrotum is usually darker in colour than the surrounding skin. One testicle always hangs lower than the other, this is so that they don’t bash into each other when you are running or playing. The testicles are connected to the penis by a long thin tube. Both urine from the bladder and semen pass down this tube through the penis. This tube is called the urethra.
Normally a man’s penis is soft and hangs down, but different kinds of sensations and feelings - physical, psychological, or sensual - can lead to an erection. An erection occurs when a nerve centre at the base of your spinal cord sends out impulses to your penis, filling it up with blood. At this point the penis gets stiff, grows longer and wider, sticks upward and outwards from the body and the foreskin stretches, leaving the head of the penis exposed. The muscles at the base of your penis tighten, so that blood can’t drain back out. There are no muscles in the penis itself, it is a kind of a sponge (that is why you can’t move it very much when soft!). Erections are unreliable and can come and go without warning.
Ejaculation is the emission of semen from the penis. This is essential for reproduction, and it also leads to a feeling of sexual pleasure - a combination of physical sensations and intense emotional feelings. During this time 3-15 contractions occur. Each last about a second and the first three are usually the most intense. To achieve ejaculation there must be stimulation and erection of the penis. When a man ejaculates, he releases on average a teaspoonful of semen containing up to 300 million sperm. Ejaculation is not always voluntary. For example, sometimes, while sleeping men can ejaculate. Although the semen comes out of the penis through the urethra (through which urine too comes out), there is no chance of any urine coming out during ejaculation as a muscle closes the bladder off. After ejaculation, the semen is stored again at the base of the penis, until the next one.
While the male child is developing in the uterus, the testicles are already secreting the male hormone, testosterone, which after 13-14 years kick in and steer the baby towards becoming a boy and man. During childhood, the sex glands remain inactive and make neither hormones nor sperm. During puberty, the testicles begin to be active again under the influence of a secretion from the pituitary gland, which is tucked away in a small part of the brain. The testicles produce testosterone, which is circulated throughout the body in the blood. Under it’s influence the boy is transformed into a man over a period of years.
WHAT ARE THESE CHANGES?Most changes in boys are all external and visible unlike with girls where most changes happen inside the body.
The Genitals:It is commonly believed that the first sign of puberty is enlargement of the testicles. They may double or quadruple. At the same time, the skin of the scrotum changes, the colour deepens becoming darker and it’s texture gets wrinkled. Sometime after this the penis starts to enlarge, becoming first longer and then broader. The final size is reached at the end of your growth spurt, which usually happens when you are 15 - 16 years old, but sometimes earlier or later.
During puberty a boy becomes ready to reproduce since he can now produce and release sperm. At this stage wet dreams occur often in nearly all boys. At night there is an involuntary release of semen (ejaculation) during sleep, either during an erotic dream, or sometimes even in the absence of an erotic stimulation. This happens because there is a build-up of semen in the body and it needs to be released. Boys wake up in the morning to find a sticky or dry residue of semen on the sheet, which is embarrassing, awkward, and even frightening. Wet dreams are a signal that you are growing up! They stop after a while so its just a passing phase.
Boys begin growing later than girls and carry on for longer, after the girls have stopped growing. The growth spurt in boys begins around 13-14 years and ends at 16-17 years. There is a sudden increase in height and weight, the chest expands and becomes broader, and arms and legs fill out and become more muscular. All boys do not grow to the same height and definition, it depends on genetics, nutrition, constitution etc. Due to the influence of testosterone the larynx (the voice center in the throat) expands, and the voice cracks before it deepens. This is another awkward phase but it soon evens out to a deeper pitch. The aureole surrounding the nipples generally doubles in size during puberty. It may happen to one nipple before the other, but this is quite normal and nothing to worry about. During this time, your nipples and the area surrounding them may become quite sensitive, but this phase won’t last too long. During this period hair starts growing on different parts of your body, like- legs, arms, chest, groin, armpits and face. Pimples, spots and blackheads may grow on your face, neck, chest and back. These are by-products of androgens (male hormones that are responsible for most of the changes in your body). Hair growth on the face starts as a fine fuzzy layer and then becomes tougher and thicker as you start shaving.
BODY ODOUR:
Your sweat glands (under your arms and in your genital area) are becoming more active. When sweat comes into contact with bacteria on your skin it can create an unpleasant smell, both in adolescent boys and girls. To wash the sweat and bacteria away, you need a shower or a bath every day or twice in summer and make sure you wash your underarms and genital area very well. You can also use a deodorant for your underarms after your bath. Be careful that the deoderant is not an anti persiperant as that blocks your sweat pores and therefore doesnt allow your skin to breathe. The best natural deoderant you can use is Alum.
PIMPLES:
Your oil glands or 'sebaceous glands' produce an oily substance called sebum. If the sebum blocks the pores of your skin and combines with bacteria, you could get pimples. In order to keep the pimples away, keep yourself clean. Wash your face at least twice daily to get rid of the oil on your face. If the problem persists and the pimples become painful, you can consult a doctor or a skin specialist.
During puberty and adolescence you will notice that your sexual thoughts and fantasies become more frequent and you become aware of sexual stimuli around you. You might feel frustrated that you cannot concentrate on school work because you are constantly thinking about sex. This is okay and happens to all boys and girls at this stage. You might begin masturbating but don’t feel scared or guilty about it. A lot of people will tell you that masturbation is harmful to the body, but this is not true. It is a good way to release your pent up energy and emotions. These sexual feelings and fantasies are also normal, so don’t worry about them. You might feel that you want to have sexual experiences with other people, but first make sure that you are aware of all the facts, risks, and safety measures involved.